Is the government taking our country backwards? w/ the National Party’s Tom Rutherford: 3rd December, 2024

This week saw the Labour Party’s annual conference, during which party leader Chris Hipkins spoke about the party’s goals and criticised the current National-led government. 

Hipkins named the Dunedin hospital delays, interislander ferry fiasco, and tax breaks for tobacco companies as several issues that would be targeted by a future Labour government. Hipkins then called the government divisive and suggested their policies are taking the country backwards, both due to the Treaty Principles bill and this government’s approach more broadly. 

In our weekly catchup with the National Party’s Tom Rutherford, Wire host Castor asked him about these issues and how the government would respond as it moves into 2025.